Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department have had with the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers on (a) the availability of supply of LPG bottles for off-grid domestic customers in winter 2021-22 and (b) prioritising that supply in the provision of LPG bottles.

The Department is in frequent contact with Liquid Gas UK, the trade association for the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry in the UK. Every year, BEIS works closely with industry to monitor the LPG and heating oil supply position over winter and to proactively take steps to mitigate any risks that may affect distribution to customers and essential services.

In these discussions, Liquid Gas UK reported that demand for cylinders reached unprecedented levels this year, while lead times for importing new cylinders have been significantly lengthened due to increased global steel demand and volatile shipping markets. The industry expects the demand for cylinders from the UK leisure and tourism sectors to decline as the summer holiday season comes to an end and this to ease the pressure. Their members are offering solutions such as cylinder swaps and alternative sizes where possible for consumers affected.

In 2018 Liquid Gas UK published a ‘Customer Charter’, which requires its member companies to adhere to a set of common principles. These include ‘Cold Weather Priority Delivery’ so that at times of restricted supply the industry will seek to ensure that priority groups do not run out of energy, particularly those who are aged 75 or older, chronically ill, or registered disabled. I would encourage eligible customers to make sure that they are registered with their suppliers’ schemes under this Charter to help ensure that they go into winter with an adequate stock of LPG or identify at an early opportunity when they might need a further delivery.